The most genius home hacks we learned this year

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If you've ever struggled putting the fitted sheet on your mattress, listen up: Thanks to Reddituser Nolapatrona, we learned the corner with the tag always goes on the bottom right side of your mattress. Genius.

PHOTO: Lauren Smith + Betsy Farrell

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The wrap-around design of this tool cleans both sides at once, helping you save major time. It'll also make washing knife blades easier and safer. We'll take two.

PHOTO: JOSEPH JOSEPH

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If your copper item is looking tarnished, squirt some ketchup on a rag, then sprinkle salt on top. Rub the mixture on your item and repeat until you've covered every inch of the surface. Rinse it off and your item will be as shiny as ever. Watch and see how it's done here.

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In Finland, people install over-the-sink cabinets that, instead of having shelves on the inside, feature slotted dish racks so you can put wet dishes away and let them drip dry in to the sink. This means they don't have to hand-dry anything, and you'll save serious counter space.

When in a pinch, you can use foil to help you around the house for much more than food storage. Here, it's balled up and being used as a dish scrubber, but it can also polish silver, protect pie crust from being burnt, and more.

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Fixing a clogged drain in your shower is never fun, which is why people went nuts over this invention. It captures hair and other debris and all you have to do is remove the gadget once a month and wipe it clean with a tissue.

PHOTO: ShowerShroom

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Your storage doesn't have to be used in the way it was originally intended. Instead of hanging towels that look cluttered on this rack, pot and pan lids looks streamlined and polished.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

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When you have company coming over last minute, brass is one of the easiest metals to polish with what you already have on-hand. All three of these pantry staples will do the trick. Don't believe us? Watch and see for yourself.

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Hard-to-reach spots, like under your refrigerator and baseboards, are no match for this microfiber mop. Its flexible head bends and swivels to fit into any space.

PHOTO: MILES KIMBALL

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Instead of taking up valuable cabinet space with these clunky items, use Command Hooks to hang them on an unused wall, like this pro organizer did. Start by hanging the biggest items first, then incorporate the medium-sized ones and finish with the smallest items.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

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Many people find food storage containers intimidating to corral, but this cabinet makes it look easy by using a riser to separate round shapes on top and square ones on bottom.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

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White vinegar is a super hero when it comes to cleaning — after all, it cleans just about everything. But if you want to make it even better, infuse it with a hint of citrus, eucalyptus, and more.

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What's key to making a utensil drawer functional is investing in caddies for every kind of utensil, as well as size. To save space, nestle your forks and spoons into each other.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

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Items like cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens should always go in the lowest cabinet possible, partly because it's safer to pull them out that way and you also won't have to worry about the shelf they're sitting on collapsing under their weight.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

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Instead of leaving your wet sponge in the sink after washing dishes, use this holder, which features draining slots that'll help it dry up between cleanings.

PHOTO: buytra

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Most people have strong preferences if their glasses face up or down, but we say do both. This trick will help you fit way more glasses on your shelf, since they can nestle more closely together.

If you've ever struggled putting the fitted sheet on your mattress, listen up: Thanks to Reddituser Nolapatrona, we learned the corner with the tag always goes on the bottom right side of your mattress. Genius.

PHOTO: Lauren Smith + Betsy Farrell

The wrap-around design of this tool cleans both sides at once, helping you save major time. It'll also make washing knife blades easier and safer. We'll take two.

PHOTO: JOSEPH JOSEPH

If your copper item is looking tarnished, squirt some ketchup on a rag, then sprinkle salt on top. Rub the mixture on your item and repeat until you've covered every inch of the surface. Rinse it off and your item will be as shiny as ever. Watch and see how it's done here.

In Finland, people install over-the-sink cabinets that, instead of having shelves on the inside, feature slotted dish racks so you can put wet dishes away and let them drip dry in to the sink. This means they don't have to hand-dry anything, and you'll save serious counter space.

When in a pinch, you can use foil to help you around the house for much more than food storage. Here, it's balled up and being used as a dish scrubber, but it can also polish silver, protect pie crust from being burnt, and more.

Fixing a clogged drain in your shower is never fun, which is why people went nuts over this invention. It captures hair and other debris and all you have to do is remove the gadget once a month and wipe it clean with a tissue.

PHOTO: ShowerShroom

Your storage doesn't have to be used in the way it was originally intended. Instead of hanging towels that look cluttered on this rack, pot and pan lids looks streamlined and polished.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

When you have company coming over last minute, brass is one of the easiest metals to polish with what you already have on-hand. All three of these pantry staples will do the trick. Don't believe us? Watch and see for yourself.

Hard-to-reach spots, like under your refrigerator and baseboards, are no match for this microfiber mop. Its flexible head bends and swivels to fit into any space.

PHOTO: MILES KIMBALL

Instead of taking up valuable cabinet space with these clunky items, use Command Hooks to hang them on an unused wall, like this pro organizer did. Start by hanging the biggest items first, then incorporate the medium-sized ones and finish with the smallest items.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

Many people find food storage containers intimidating to corral, but this cabinet makes it look easy by using a riser to separate round shapes on top and square ones on bottom.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

White vinegar is a super hero when it comes to cleaning — after all, it cleans just about everything. But if you want to make it even better, infuse it with a hint of citrus, eucalyptus, and more.

What's key to making a utensil drawer functional is investing in caddies for every kind of utensil, as well as size. To save space, nestle your forks and spoons into each other.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

Items like cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens should always go in the lowest cabinet possible, partly because it's safer to pull them out that way and you also won't have to worry about the shelf they're sitting on collapsing under their weight.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

Instead of leaving your wet sponge in the sink after washing dishes, use this holder, which features draining slots that'll help it dry up between cleanings.

PHOTO: buytra

Most people have strong preferences if their glasses face up or down, but we say do both. This trick will help you fit way more glasses on your shelf, since they can nestle more closely together.

If you've ever struggled putting the fitted sheet on your mattress, listen up: Thanks to Reddituser Nolapatrona, we learned the corner with the tag always goes on the bottom right side of your mattress. Genius.

PHOTO: Lauren Smith + Betsy Farrell

The wrap-around design of this tool cleans both sides at once, helping you save major time. It'll also make washing knife blades easier and safer. We'll take two.

PHOTO: JOSEPH JOSEPH

If your copper item is looking tarnished, squirt some ketchup on a rag, then sprinkle salt on top. Rub the mixture on your item and repeat until you've covered every inch of the surface. Rinse it off and your item will be as shiny as ever. Watch and see how it's done here.

In Finland, people install over-the-sink cabinets that, instead of having shelves on the inside, feature slotted dish racks so you can put wet dishes away and let them drip dry in to the sink. This means they don't have to hand-dry anything, and you'll save serious counter space.

When in a pinch, you can use foil to help you around the house for much more than food storage. Here, it's balled up and being used as a dish scrubber, but it can also polish silver, protect pie crust from being burnt, and more.

Fixing a clogged drain in your shower is never fun, which is why people went nuts over this invention. It captures hair and other debris and all you have to do is remove the gadget once a month and wipe it clean with a tissue.

PHOTO: ShowerShroom

Your storage doesn't have to be used in the way it was originally intended. Instead of hanging towels that look cluttered on this rack, pot and pan lids looks streamlined and polished.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

When you have company coming over last minute, brass is one of the easiest metals to polish with what you already have on-hand. All three of these pantry staples will do the trick. Don't believe us? Watch and see for yourself.

Hard-to-reach spots, like under your refrigerator and baseboards, are no match for this microfiber mop. Its flexible head bends and swivels to fit into any space.

PHOTO: MILES KIMBALL

Instead of taking up valuable cabinet space with these clunky items, use Command Hooks to hang them on an unused wall, like this pro organizer did. Start by hanging the biggest items first, then incorporate the medium-sized ones and finish with the smallest items.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WIRSING

Many people find food storage containers intimidating to corral, but this cabinet makes it look easy by using a riser to separate round shapes on top and square ones on bottom.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

White vinegar is a super hero when it comes to cleaning — after all, it cleans just about everything. But if you want to make it even better, infuse it with a hint of citrus, eucalyptus, and more.

What's key to making a utensil drawer functional is investing in caddies for every kind of utensil, as well as size. To save space, nestle your forks and spoons into each other.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

Items like cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens should always go in the lowest cabinet possible, partly because it's safer to pull them out that way and you also won't have to worry about the shelf they're sitting on collapsing under their weight.

PHOTO: Kathryn Wirsing

Instead of leaving your wet sponge in the sink after washing dishes, use this holder, which features draining slots that'll help it dry up between cleanings.

PHOTO: buytra

Most people have strong preferences if their glasses face up or down, but we say do both. This trick will help you fit way more glasses on your shelf, since they can nestle more closely together.

Improving one's home is a never-ending cycle. That's why people are constantly on the lookout for faster ways to wash dishes or smarter ways to fit more into their kitchen — and 2017 was no exception. These are the highlights of what we learned this year and will embrace for years to come.